Enter the first important and relevant album of the year: Snowmanís The Horse, the Rat and the Swan. Indeed, this is a band so in touch with our times, itíll force most people to turn away in discomfort. Itís a record in touch with its own absurdity and so soaked in existential postmodernism that it almost never even escapes the pull of the very black hole itís spawned from. Luckily for us, it does, and for that fact alone we should be grateful.

The interesting thing about this, and indeed all of Jesu's material, is that it seemingly gives some great insight into Justin Broderick's world and philosophy. Underneath the thickness of his production and the distorted wall of guitars, we witness a vulnerable Broderick exploring an almost child-like curiosity for melody and harmony. The direct contrast of darkness/light is not a new frontier but it seems as if Jesu is an outlet where the imagination can run wild even among the muck and sludge of a world that tries to crush the spirit.

Bright Blue Dream never makes any apologies for its anachronistic approach to psych-pop, but instead draws from a wider palette to catalyze new directions in sound. While the hypnotic nature of the songwriting rightly implies a repetitive theme in many or all of the songs, it is the sonic inventiveness and subtleties that keep the album from being negatively affected by this approach. While the album has a lot of fun throughout its course, it is never afraid to strip itself naked and show some real earnest vulnerability and it is in these moments that the album lets its guard down and transcends itself. It is the intermingling of a wide variety of sonic ideas into a cohesive and emotional package that makes the Bright Blue Dream a worthwhile listen, and one to mark down for 2008ís early successes.